Cushioning and centering device for railway car couplers



Aug. 22, G,- Q GlLPlN CUSHIONING AND CENTERING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY .ICARCOUPLERS Filed July 6, 1931 Garzh/ G. Gi//olln/ Patented ug. 22, 1933UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE CUSHIONING AND CENTERING DEVICE FOR RAILWAYCAR COUPLERS poration of Delaware Application `uly 6, 1931. Serial No.543,799

9 Claims.

The device relates to railway cars and more particularly to the meansfor supporting the outer end of a railway car coupler adjacent its headwhich permits the coupler to move hori- Zontally and vertically andadjust itself to the curves and unevenness of the track, and one of theobjects of the invention is to provide a yielding means for supportingthe outer end of 'the coupler in a vertical and/0r horizontal directionso that when free to do so the coupler `will return 'to its normalheight and to a position adjacent the center of the car, whicharrangement has several objects and advantages hereinafter enumerated.

When coupler is supported by a carrier, which is movable vertically, agreat stress is thrown in the shank of the coupler when the car passesover a hump or valley in the track (technically known as verticalcurves) which when occurring while the couplers are under severe pullingor hurling stresses is a serious matter and this condition was acontributing cause of the American Railway Association increasing thesize of the standard coupler shank. One of the objects oi the invention,therefore, is to reduce the service stresses in the coupler by providinga yielding coupler carrier thereby permitting the outer end of thecoupler Ato move downwardly so that the center line ci the coupledcouplers will be nearer a straight line, thereby reducing the resultantforces in the coupler IShanks. When the force ceases, for instance, whenthe cars are uncoupled, the yielding carrier forces the coupler to itsnormal vertical position, which is prescribed by the American RailwayAssociation and which is necessary so that the couplers willautomatically couple when the cars are run together.

Another object of the yielding carrier is to prevent the jar in thecoupler caused by the uneven track and the movement of the coupler uponthe carrier from being transmitted to the adjacent car parts, which jarand vibration causes the fastening means, such as bolts, to becomeloose, or perhaps entirely ineffective. Jars and jolts between thecoupler and the carrier are also caused by the engaging parts of the twocoupled couplers slipping over each other under pressure. Furthermore,such yielding means, by reducing the vertical force of the coupler uponits carrier, reduces the friction and consequent wear between theseparts. The wear upon `the coupler shank makes a weak place in the shankcausing it to break at that place when the cars are coupled, especiallywhen coupled in a hump or valley in the track.

Another object of the invention is to provide a specially formed barspring to support a car coupler and position it in the car relative tothe car coupler so that when the coupler moves siden wise of the car thespring is distorted, causing a tendency for the spring to return thecoupler to the center of the car and when the coupler moves verticallythe spring is compressed causing a tendency to return the coupler to itsnormal height.

Another object is to provide a device which cushions and centers thecoupler without twisting the coupler when the cars go around curves,which twisting action distorts the coupler shank and moving parts of thecoupler causing them to 0 work hard or even bind, making the couplerinop erative. This is accomplished by maintaining the top of the carrierparallel to the bottom of the coupler and in contact therewith. In`other words, the carrier adjusts itseli' to the coupler. 5 Maintainingthe width of the coupler shank in contact with the carrier maintains alarge bearing area between these two elements and thereby reduces thewear upon them.

One of the objects of the invention is to increase the amount cipermissible lateral movement of a coupler by providing automatic meansfor returning the couplers to the longitudinal center of the car or atleast close enough thereto so that the automatic couplers will couple.This is what is termed the coupling range.

It is very often necessary to couple cars on curves and frequently whenthe radius of the curve is very small, as is common around industrialplants, the couplers of the two cars will be so far out of alignmentthat they will not automatically couple. Another object oi the invenntion is to automatically bring such couplers within coupling range. n

In my device the lateralmovement between the coupler andthe carrier iseliminated, thus reducing friction and consequent wear on the parts.This is quite an item particularly in sandy countries because couplersare costly and the replace ment of a coupler means keeping the car outof service.

Coupler positioning devices reduce the number of broken knuckles andguard arms on couplers which members are frequently bent or broken whenthe couplers are not within coupling range. Such devices also reduce thenumber 0I" accidents to train men as they are not required to go betweenthe cars and position the coupler preparatory to coupling. i M0 Anotherobject of the invention is to provide means to limit the upward movementof the yielding coupler carrier so that the yielding means will notforce the coupler up beyond the predetermined standard heightestablished by the American Railway Association. It is also desirable torestrict the vertical upward movement of the coupler so that when thecar is turned upside down in an unloading machine the component parts ofthe yielding means will not lose their proper relative positions andbecome ineffective.

Another object oi the invention is lto provide means to limit themovement of the carrier lengthwise of Arlie car, which. means alsoprevents the carrier from tipping when the coupler slides over it.

In the drawing:

Fig. l shows a 'typical application of my device to a railway car whenthe coupler is in normal position.

Fig.2 is a section on line .5l-2 oi' Fig. l.

Fig. 3 shows the device with the yielding means completely compressedand with the coupler i central position.

' Fig. 4 shows the device when the coupler is in extreme lateralposition.

Fig. 5 shows the device when the coupler is in extreme lateral positionand the yielding means is completely compressed.

Fig. 6 shows a modified construction oi my device.

In the drawing the striking casting or other car part 2 is attached tothe car and supported thereby by any convenient means, such as therivets 3 4, which hold it to the draft sills 5. The yielding means inthe form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive consists of a speciallyformed bar spring 7 having a coupler bearing surface 8 adjacent itsupper part and lugs 9 secured to the spring to restrict the lateralmovement of the coupler 1) relative to the spring. The spring is formedinto several sweeping and preferably reversed curves 14-15 on each sideoi the center of the car and has a pair ci gibs 17 at its ends whichpenetrate apertures 13 in the car part to prevent the bottom pcrtion ofthe spring moving sidewise. Any other convenient means may be used tohold the spring in place, such as the rivets 20 shown in Fig. 6.

The spring isk formed into extensions 22 which move sidewise of the carbetween spaced apart walls 24-25 of the car part to restrict themovement of the spring longitudinally of the car and prevent it fromtipping when the 4coupler moves over it. As the coupler 8 movessidewise, however, these extensions move between the spaced apart wallsof the car part, thereby permitting free lateral movement of thecoupler. (Note Fig. 4.) Y

I preferably provide a bolt 30 or similar member engaging the spacedapart walls 24--25 of the car part 2 which is positioned adjacent a partof the bar spring so as to restrict the lateral movements of the barspring. (See Fig. 4.) This -member is preferably also positioned torestrict with lugs 45 to hold the coupler in central position of thespring. This carriage stifiens the upper horizontal portion 47) oi thebar spring 40 as a beam and also provides a removable wearing piece,thus increasing the life of the spring.

The wall 48 restricts the upward movement of the spring and the rivets20 secure the spring to the car part 50.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of theinvention, though it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the exact details oi construction shown and described, as itis obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of theclaims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and abar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car.

2. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and abar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car, the ends oi said bar spring terminating in gibs penetratingapertures in the car part to prevent the ends of the spring from movingsidewise of the car.

3. A cushioning and centering device for a railway c ar couplercomprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, acoupler carriage, and a bar spring positioned between the car part andthe carriage which acts vertically and horizontally to return thecoupler .to normal position, said carriage secured to the bar springforming a spring stiffener anda coupler bearing surface, said barspring` comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center of thecar.

4. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car having a pair of spaced apartwalls on each side of the center of the car, a. railway car coupler, anda bar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car, said bar spring moving sidewise of the car between said pairsof spaced apart walls so as to restrict the movement of the springlengthwise of the car.

5. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and abar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car, and means to restrict the sidewise movements of the spring.

6. A cushioning and centering device for` a. railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car having a pair of spaced apartwalls on each side of the center of the car, a. railway car coupler, aVbar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car, said bar spring moving sidewise of the car between said pairsof spaced apart walls so as to restrict the movement of the springlengthwise of the car, and means to restrict the sidewise movements ofthe spring, said means comprising members engaging said walls andpositioned adjacent said bar spring to restrict said movements.

7. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, a barspring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car, and means to restrict the downward and sidewise movements ofthe spring.

8. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car having a pair of spaced apartwalls on each side of the center of the car, a railway car coupler, abar spring positioned between the car part and the coupler which actsvertically and horizontally to return the coupler to normal position,said bar spring comprising a reverse curve on each side of the center ofthe car, said bar spring moving sidewise of the car between said pairsof spaced apart walls so as to restrict the movement of the springlength- Wise of the car, and means to restrict the downward and sidewisemovements of the spring, said means comprising members engaging saidwalls and positioned adjacent said bar spring to restrict saidmovements.

9. A cushioning and centering device for a railway car couplercomprising a car part attached to the car, a railway car coupler, and abar spring positioned in a single substantially vertical plane betweenthe car part and the coupler with its end portion secured to the carpart so that said spring acts vertically and horizontally to return thecoupler to normal position.

GARTH G. GILPIN.

